Organic acids in the poultry industry

26-05-2008 | Home | Expert opinion

There is currently no single economically viable replacement to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) available to the poultry industry. An effective alternative to AGP should have a significant, sustainable and beneficial impact on animal production (e.g. feed efficiency, body weight gain) and health, be safe for both the animal and human population, be easy to apply and store and provide a substantial return on investment.

In my previous blog, we had a discussion on probiotics as an alternative to AGPs. In this blog, I’d like to talk briefly about the organic acids application in the poultry industry. Organic acids are one of the available replacements for AGPs. Formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, lactic, and citric acids are examples of these substances.

It has been shown that these acids have antimicrobial activity, which results in modification of the gut microflora profile. These compounds have been used in swine diets for so many years with beneficial effects. Studies have shown that these beneficial effects are primarily associated with changes in the gastrointestinal microflora. There are also studies on the effects of these acids in poultry although the amount of available information is lesser compared to swine.

– Are effects of organic acids in poultry dependent on the type of ingredients (e.g. corn- vs. wheat- based diets)?
– What do you think of using organic acids individually or in combinations?
– Do you think that microorganisms in the digestive tract can develop resistance to these compounds?
– How about cost-effectiveness of dietary inclusion of organic acids in poultry?

Reference: Collett, S. R. 2004. Controlling gastrointestinal disease to improve absorptive membrane integrity and optimize digestion efficiency. Pages 77–91 in Interfacing Immunity, Gut Health and Performance. L. A. Tucker and J. A. Taylor-Pickard, ed. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK.